LSU Players Focused on Better Execution Ahead of Final Outing Before SEC Play
The talk around the LSU program this week has been the team's dedication to running a more up tempo style of offense. That's been the gameplan all along but an important part of that is having the execution to go along with the fast play style.
Far too often in the first two weeks has the LSU offense been behind the eight ball on drives with poor first and second down execution. While the offensive line has taken on the brunt of the scrutiny, there's plenty of missed opportunities to go around with every position on the offense.
For the receivers for example, dropped passes have been an area that surprised the coaching staff as there were no signs of it throughout fall camp. In fact Ed Orgeron went as far as to say it was probably the cleanest camp in terms of drops the team has had under his watch.
Receiver Kayshon Boutte doesn't know why it's been such an issue in the first two weeks but said the best way to correct the drops is repetition.
"We really talk about it every day, we preach about it," Boutte said. "Things we can do to improve is catching balls after practice and practicing more with the quarterbacks.
"There's really nothing slowing us down, I feel like us as players have just got to execute the plays a little quicker and faster. "It's accountability on everybody's part. I always feel like I could do more and that's something that has played a factor in these games."
It's been pretty clear that after two weeks of constant pressure, quarterback Max Johnson is starting to feel the heat and is missing on some throws that should be completions. That's not all on the offensive line of course but this unit does have a lot to work on.
Center Liam Shanahan says one of the areas the offensive line needs to improve is responding better to movement in the run game and being able to adapt to opposing pass rush sets.
"Something that coach Davis has said since he got here is that everybody in the room has gotta be held to the high standard," Shanahan said. "We did some better things, not where we need to be yet as a unit but we've gotta keep progressing."
This group faces a Central Michigan team that doesn't do anything "crazy" from what Shanahan has seen on film but this unit does know what to expect. It's been no secret the offensive line has struggled with picking up blitzes and will likely see it all season from opposing defenses until it shows the issue has been corrected.
"Based from what I've seen on film, they run pretty basic four down looks, nothing too crazy with blitzes," Shanahan said. "But with blitzes and movement that's something we haven't done a great job with to start the year so we're always expecting to see some of that. We gotta take the next step as an offensive line and as a team."
